Detention
by Marla's Lost
Summary: Jackie's throat felt tight – this couldn't be happening! Nobody puts Jackie Burkhart in detention! "But…." She wanted to explain that detention would take away from her cheerleading practice and Daddy would take away the car, but all she got was, "Two weeks Miss Burkhart and a 1,000 word essay on the continent of Pangea."
1. Chapter 1 - Two Weeks

It's been a while and I felt a bit inspired thanks to all the PM's inquiring about my absence. This is just a short story about a promising friendship. I'm dipping my toe back into the fandom. Non-Canon.

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 **Chapter 01** – Two Weeks

November 12, 1976

The snarky Geography teacher's sloppy lips seemed to move in slow motion as he repeated, "Yes….de-ten-tion." His grey eyes glittered with malice.

The young girl's dark eyes looked at the pink detention paper pad as if it were a snake about to strike. Mr. Amato's thick lip curled into a half smile. The teacher slowly ripped a slip of paper from the pad on his desk, scribbled something unintelligible and handed it to Point Place High School junior, Miss Jackie Burkhart. "But….but…" Jackie started to protest

Mr. Amato plucked the slip out of her fingers and continued writing as he commented, "Any more backtalk out of you and it will be two weeks instead of one!" ".

Jackie's throat felt tight – this couldn't be happening! _Nobody puts Jackie Burkhart in detention!_ "But…." She wanted to explain that detention would take away from her cheerleading practice and Daddy would take away the car, but all she got was, "Two weeks Miss Burkhart and a 1,000 word essay on the continent of Pangea."

She blinked. _Pangea? Where the hell was Pangea? Two weeks?_ She sighed and dropped her head towards the black and white tiled floor.

Detention was a premature holding cell for future criminals and dropouts.

Detention was not a place for cheerleaders!

Detention was going to be hell.

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Penalty paper in hand, Eric Forman was looking for room 104-B in the Point Place High School basement. If it hadn't been for Kelso's damn drawing of a huge penis on the roll down map in his Economics' class, Eric wouldn't be looking for some imaginary room on a Friday after school.

The drawing was actually good, but when the teacher wasn't looking, Steven Hyde snuck up to the front of the room and added "Kelso Sucks" with black marker to the sketch and the laughter which ensued was Eric's demise. Mrs. Hauck didn't have a sense of humor and when she asked the question "…and what does this _Kelso_ person suck?" Eric started howling – _how could she not see how hilarious it was?_

That was Eric's undoing. Hauck grabbed Eric by the upper arm and hauled him out into the hallway and straight to Principal Landry's office and the end result was two weeks detention.

The artist and writer of the cartoon got off without penalty.

Eric Forman faced the wrath of his father's anger, his mother's disappointment, his sister's snarky attitude and a two week vacation with the most burnt out, low life- drop out recruits that the city of Point Place had to offer.

Shouldn't Hyde be in detention as well?

Maybe it could turn out to be a vacation!

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Jackie held her Geography book close against her chest. The basement hallway was icky with dust and unpleasant odors – like those smells when Michael tells her when he _forgot_ to use deodorant and she should _love_ his manly scent. She wrinkled her nose and stopped in front of room 104.

Her boots felt like lead weights – she didn't want to enter the classroom – her reputation would be instantly ruined by whosoever witnessed the cheerleader stepping inside. Jackie shivered in the cold dankness of the hallway and listened to the sounds of melee occurring beyond the heavy door.

Taking a calming breath and closing her eyes, she reached for the door handle.

Ice. The handle was ice cold.

Like her soul.

Jackie Burkhart had never been sent to detention – she was one of the most popular girls in school for heaven's sake! _This was an outrage_. Maybe daddy could talk to someone at the school board and get the nasty Mr. Amato fired.

With a plan to get out of this nastiness, Jackie confidently swung open the door and stepped inside. She instantly regretted her decision. The roar in the room ceased to exist as Point Place's top cheerleader stepped through the threshold.

It was a loud silence – she could have heard a pin drop.

The classroom quiet was ruined by the swelling roar of laughter. Finger pointing and guffaws filled her with shame. Hisses and shards of superfluous glee caused Jackie's cheeks to turn pink with embarrassment as she pushed her way past fat Eddy who was picking his nose and grinning.

Jackie walked between the desks towards the back where the quieter students were hiding behind textbooks. She glared at Tammy Robinson who was obviously in her third trimester for the second time. Tammy glared back and rubbed her pregnant belly, "…you're just jealous!'

Jackie slipped into a seat in the back of the room and looked ahead, avoiding all those prying eyes.

A rasping cough and a loud *tap* *tap* *tap* on the blackboard quieted the room as Mr. Stewart, the oldest biology teacher in the world, stood at his desk waiting for the attention of the students. When all faces were on the front of the classroom, Mr. Stewart smiled and used the tip of his tongue to push his upper dentures out of his mouth. Jackie was instantly grossed out but figured the teacher had issues with his gums and disregarded the gesture. Well, that was until he put his entire upper plate on the top of his desk.

"Smoking." Mr. Stewart began. "I was 15 when I started smoking Camels. Then moved on to filtered cigarettes and while being cool was…well, _cool_ ….it cost me my teeth."

Fat Eddy held up his pudgy arm and asked, "How much do teeth cost?"

The students snickered until Eddy put down his hand.

Mr. Stewart replied, "The answer to your question Mr. Dale is approximately $800 for the upper plate and millions for the loss of being _cool_. So why am I telling you this story?"

Fat Eddy put up his hand again, "How do you eat without teeth?"

The teacher picked up the dentures and popped them back into his mouth, "Slowly. Very slowly."

The students groaned at the attempted joke but Mr. Stewart had their attention nevertheless.

"Welcome to Detention. I know you all think you don't deserve to be here – hell, I don't deserve to be here, but I'm paid by the hour so….thank you for the overtime! I've been instructed that each of you has an assignment that needs to be completed before your time with me is up, so I suggest you get working. I will be reading the new Peter Benchley novel – _The Deep_. "

Mr. Stewart sat back down in his chair, propped his legs on the corner of the desk and opened his book. He waved his hand in the general direction of the students and added, "On with you – get working!"

Jackie sighed and opened her Geography textbook to the index. There was no mention of Pangea in the entire book. _Did Mr. Amato make this up_? She sat back in the desk seat and closed her eyes.

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Eric had entered the classroom and making sure the first thing he did was avoid the spitball shower between Oscar Dewitt and that boy from Phys Ed who acted like his mom dropped him on the head when he was a baby. Eric headed straight to the second row in the back of the classroom and sat in the least graffiti adorned desk and opened his textbook so he could take a secret nap.

Ahhh…those short afternoon naps that led to all night make out sessions with a lovely red head….things dreams were made of. In his dreams, Donna Pinciotti was a wanton women – she was _a wantin'_ him all the time! Lately, however, Donna seemed a bit distant and Eric put it down to her feminist hobbies. Still…..Eric Forman was dating guru and many underclassmen would come to him for advice:

About Star Wars.

About his action figure collections.

 _Although, not too much investigation into how he landed the popular red head,_ Eric sighed, closed his eyes and eased farther into the back of the chair that pressed against his shoulder blades. He drifted into a semi-meditative snooze that starred Miss Pinciotti wearing not much more than a red silk nightie. Eric smiled in his sleep.

A pencil rapping at the back of his head interrupted a lustful dream and Eric jolted awake ready to growl at the idiot that was using his skull for a drum. "Knock it off or I'll make you eat that pencil." As he turned in his seat, Eric was shocked to see the attractive brunette sitting behind him. He hissed, "Jackie! What the hell are you doing here? Are you spying on me?"

Jackie blinked and sighed, "As if. I got detention for mouthing off to Mr. Amato."

Eric grinned, "Oh yeah…the old _tomato_ …I had him for one semester." Eric turned fully around and hung his arm on the back of the seat. "So what kind of hell did he assign you?"

Jackie blew out an exhausted breath. "A 1,000 word essay on Pangea. Is that like something that goes in a pan? Like Hamburger Helper?" Jackie was seriously concerned.

Eric stifled a laugh, "No. Pangea is a continent…or was one at some time. You must have really pissed him off."

Jackie closed her book and leaned forward so much so that Eric could actually smell her perfume. She confessed, "I have to get out of here. I can't make cheer practice AND be in detention." Eric seemed pretty comfortable with the detention situation and she was flummoxed. "So what did you do?"

Eric leaned back a little, sort of trying to put some distance between Jackie's bewitching smell and his own sensibilities. He wasn't some Michael Kelso that flitted to every pretty girl. Bringing his brain back to the present, Eric recalled Jackie's most apt question. _What did he do to get detention?_

Eric looked around to see if anyone was watching him talking to Jackie – he had a reputation to uphold! The coast was clear so he replied, "I laughed in my Economics class at a picture"

Jackie's eyes widened. "Doesn't any teacher at this school have a sense of humor?"

"I know!" Eric agreed. "I mean it's not like I drew the picture or made the comment…if anything, Kelso should be sitting here – not me."

Jackie gasped and covered her mouth. Eric frowned, "What."

"Michael can't know I'm here." She leaned forward and put a hand on Eric's forearm. "You can't tell him. He'll break up with me again."

Eric groaned, "Break up – make up – what is it with the two of you? I thought everything was good since prom."

"It was. I mean it is, but you know…Michael has to been seen with pretty popular girls." Her voice lowered, "Not girls that get detention."

Eric could tell that this detention sentence was an edge he'd have over Jackie Burkhart – this could be the one thing he would hold over her head forever.

Yeah, this was going to be fun.

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The bell rang and the jumble of detention students barreled towards the door. Mr. Stewart placed a clip on the page of his book and smiled as Tammy Robinson waddled her way between the desks. The teacher winked at Jackie and Eric as he stopped Tammy. "You know sweetheart, there are classes for ladies in your….ah…situation…that well, have more accommodations than Point Place High has to offer."

Tammy raised her brow, "I don't want to go to an all-girls school. I mean I want to have three kids by the time I'm twenty so I can be the cool mom at the pool. You know…laying out…working on my tan…"

Mr. Stewart frowned, "No Tammy – totally wrong vision of your future. How are you going to continue your education _and_ get a good job to take care of your children?"

Tammy shrugged, "I was gonna let my mom take care of that. I have to keep my figure."

Eric cleared his throat and shouldered past the pregnant teen muttering, "Yeah, good luck with that."

Jackie bit the inside of her cheek and hurried behind Eric out into the chilly hallway. Tammy slammed the door behind her and brushed past the pair standing in the hall. "He's so stupid!" Jackie and Eric watched her waddle-run towards the stairs.

"Do you think we should follow her just to make sure she doesn't hurt herself?" Eric asked.

Jackie shook her head, "She's already hurt herself for a lifetime. I think she'll make the stairs. We have a problem though."

Eric rubbed his chilly hands together, "We do?"

"Yeah…er, how are we going to explain this situation?" Jackie replied.

"Oh…Kelso can't know you have detention and I have to burn him for giving me detention. We need to figure something out."

Jackie held up a finger, "I know! We can say that you are failing Economics and I'm helping you after school…in the library…where none of our friends go."

Eric's brows furrowed. It sounded too perfect. But what if Donna decided to show up and pursue her lady studies… _did she do that_? "I don't know Jackie…you're gonna owe me big time for this and besides, Hyde knows I got detention…how do I explain it to him?"

"Fine. I go down and I'm dragging you with me geek boy." The brunette threatened with a tone Eric had never heard before. It was ominous and it made his stomach feel like something gray and slippery was sliding around in there.

He quickly put a friendly arm around her shoulders. "Why don't you drive me home and we'll talk about it on the way?"

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 **A/N** : Thanks AmbientSpaceNoise and Cajun Ghost for checking in!


	2. Chapter 2 - The Details

**Chapter 02** – The Details

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Eric walked up the driveway a bit pissed that Jackie dropped him off at the corner so they _wouldn't be seen together_ – what the hell? Opening the slider, Eric hoped to slip past his mom while she was drinking a cocktail while cooking something that looked vaguely like _Hamburger Helper_. She whirled around.

"Eric! Why are you so late? The boys have been downstairs for an hour!" Kitty Forman exclaimed.

Eric set his backpack on the kitchen table. "Um….I got…detention." He decided to confess so it wouldn't be something he'd have to remember later.

Slinking in with her sweatpants and jiggly top, blonde bimbo sister, Laurie framed herself in the kitchen doorway. "Oh! Did I hear little baby brother got detention? I'm trying not to laugh."

Growling, Eric grabbed his pack and tried to brush past her, "Zip it Laurie.

Laurie looked at their mother, "Are you going to let him talk to me like that?"

Kitty looked at her daughter, "Laurie, honey…you've been in detention so many times I've lost count. Leave Eric alone, I'm sure he's embarrassed enough."

Eric felt pride that his mom was backing him up. At least until she continued, "No Vista Cruiser this weekend."

His mouth fell open. Hell, there went the date to Mount Hump with Donna! "Mom! That's not fair." His arms fell limply at his side.

Kitty stirred her hamburger concoction, "If you don't like the punishment, talk to your father." She looked at her daughter, "….and if you have any ideas about using the car Laurie, you can forget about it."

"God mom! You always take his side!" Laurie stomped her foot for dramatic effect and pushed past Eric as she headed out towards the garage. Kitty Forman didn't even turn her head, "Eric, go tell your friends it's time to go home – dinner will be ready in 20 minutes."

Eric sighed and headed for the basement.

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Jackie carefully opened the back door and prayed that only Maria was in the house. She didn't want to face either one of her parents – the shame was unbearable. Sure she had done some bad things before, but Jackie Burkhart was an excellent student! She was an athlete! She was the most popular girl at school.

She got detention.

Maria was in the living room polishing furniture as Jackie eased her way around the door jamb and raced upstairs to her bedroom. She threw open the door and flung herself on the bed. A poster of a smiling Shaun Cassidy grinned down at her from the ceiling. Jackie closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath. "It's all going to be okay." She told herself.

 _Well, it would be_ _perfect_ _if Eric Forman would keep his mouth shut!_ Jackie sat up as an ingenious idea flitted around her perfectly formed brain. She knew what Eric wanted and she knew how to help him get it. Get her. She would make Eric irresistible to the red headed lumberjack in exchange for his silence.

Jackie smiled and rubbed her hands together like a female mad scientist. She could begin by making Mr. Forman more attractive and ditch those tacky sweater vests! Jackie bounced off the bed and hurried down the stairs. She needed to get a can of Tab and start on that dreaded homework assignment. Daddy had some encyclopedias in the study – that was the best place to begin.

"Oh! Miss Jackie," Maria exclaimed, "I did not know you were home. You hungry mija?"

Jackie smiled, "I could use a sandwich…maybe. I have some homework."

Maria wiped her hands on the towel that was folded over her apron. "You work too much for a young lady."

Jackie loved Maria like a second mother – Pam Burkhart was actually a mother in name only – sad. Maria busied about the kitchen pulling cold cuts from the fridge and setting a fresh loaf of Wonderbread on the counter top. Fresh tomatoes were neatly sliced and the head of iceberg lettuce crunched as the sharp knife cut through the leaves.

Jackie hooked a leg around the stool and pulled herself up to the counter and popped the top of her Tab. _So refreshing_! She smiled as the plated sandwich was set in front of her and Maria winked. "If you need anything else…your parents will be home late. You can call me."

"Do you know anything about Pangea?" Jackie asked jokingly.

The Hispanic housekeeper shook her head, "No….is it a new song on your radio?"

Jackie laughed softly. "No…it's my homework assignment. Thank you for the sandwich."

Maria removed her apron, patted Jackie's soft cheek. "Sleep tight Miss Jackie."

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Eric sighed and opened the basement door. The Gilligan's Island theme song was playing in the background while Kelso and Hyde were debating bra sizes for the Island women. Fez was smacking on a blow pop.

"Hey guys, my mom says you gotta leave in a little bit." Eric chugged down the steps and climbed over the back of the small sofa to sit in the middle. Hyde was sitting in his favorite chair with booted foot on the giant wheel shaped table. "So…he-he….detention. What's it like?"

Fez's eyes bulged, "You got detention? Oh my! Now you will be really popular."

Kelso laughed, "I should be an artist." He stretched his arms and smiled with pride. "That was a pretty good drawing."

Hyde grinned, "So what's it like being in basement?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders, "No different than this.'

Fez laughed, "You are funny. This basement is not detention. It needs a lady's attention is what it needs. Where is Donna?"

Eric looked at Hyde. Hyde shrugged. Kelso grinned, "She's at the library where they have books and stuff."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Kelso…you're my friend and all but sometimes you are as dumb as a sack of rocks."

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Eric had just pulled down the comforter and was sliding into his Spiderman sheets when the phone rang. Donna, he surmised. _She wanted some stimulating good night talk, oh yeah_! Eric picked up the telephone receiver and in his most sexy voice replied, "Milady, you'll never guess what I'm holding in my hand."

"Ew!" Jackie shrieked, "Don't even put that thought in my head! That's so disgusting."

"Jackie? What the hell?" Eric almost dropped the phone, "Why are you calling my house?"

"Did you say anything tonight?" Jackie probed.

"No. I told you I wouldn't and I didn't." Eric replied "Why?"

Jackie took a deep breath and just blurted it out, "Because if you don't, I will help your romance with Donna. She will be chasing after you instead of the other way around."

Eric sat up straighter in bed – Jackie definitely had his attention. "O-kay….I'm listening."

"Okay, for the next two weeks, you help me with my Pangea thing - I want an **A** – and I will make you more desirable than you have ever been…to Donna. Deal?"

Eric grinned at the phone, "Jackie? For an irritating midget – you have a deal." Eric hung up the phone and then the realization hit him.

He had just made a deal with the devil.

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Satisfied that her secret was safe, Jackie hung up the phone and called Michael. "Hey babe, we missed you in the basement. Mary Ann made Gilligan another coconut creme pie…can you believe it?"

Frowning, Jackie shook her head. She didn't care about Gilligan's Island. "Forget about the show Michael. I just wanted to let you know that my…. _club_ …we're meeting after school for the next two weeks to…um…write new cheers…cheers for the... football team."

Michael replied, "Awesome – is my name going to be in one of them? You know like…Go Michael Go, Put me in the Show! Bang on my chest cuz you are the best…Go Michael Go!"

Jackie grimaced. _That was a horrible cheer!_ "Sure. I think we can do that. But just realize that I'll be really busy and that doesn't mean you can go out whoring around with Pam Macy."

Michael laughed, "That was just a fling Jackie – you know you're my girlfriend. Have fun in this club thing of yours. I'll see you in the basement."

Jackie hung up the phone and reminded herself of the lie she told her boyfriend.

The devil's in the details. She had to maintain the lie.

But Eric was going to be soooo easy!

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	3. Chapter 03 – Research

**Chapter 03** – Research

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Eric nearly skipped down the steps of the school basement in anticipation of his second day of detention. The mere idea that Jackie was going to make him irresistible to Donna was the highlight of his day! None of the guys ever offered coaching advice and anything – any one thing that could help him would have been welcomed!

Jackie was sitting in the back row and Eric managed to squeeze past fat Eddy and avoid pregnant Tammy's tubby tummy. He smiled as he set his books on the desk. "Hello Jackie."

She looked up and retorted, "You are prompt."

Eric seemed pleased by the prospect of a compliment. "I kept _your_ secret and now you will help _me_ with my love life – why wouldn't I be on time?"

Jackie sighed, "This is going to be the longest two weeks of my life…isn't it?"

Eric only smiled and opened his geography text book. Jackie looked at hers and noticed they weren't the same.

"So I have to go through a different book next year?" she asked with despair.

Eric held up the thick book, "Well, yeah, but it's focused on more current geological events and you only have to take one semester."

Jackie was glad for that small reprieve. "So I went home and looked through my dad's Britannica encyclopedia set and I couldn't get a whole lot of Pangea from there so I really need your help."

"You _help-a_ me and I _help-a_ you!" Eric joked with an Italian accent that was terrible and he knew it. "Besides, there would be nothing to do down here except wait for Tammy to go into labor or wait to see who Eddy nails with a booger."

Jackie snorted back a laugh. _It wasn't funny_! Except it was! She pushed Eric's shoulder, "Don't encourage him….it might land on you!"

Eric was happy to see that the menacing midget still had her sense of humor. "Well okay… but if we work together, I can deflect Eddy with my HUGE book and you can help Tammy thru her Lamaze."

Jackie smiled and realized that she never gave Eric enough credit for being so smart. And funny. Maybe that was what Donna saw in the geeky teen! She opened her text book and pulled out a couple of articles from her older Cosmopolitan magazines. When Mr. Stewart was buried face deep in his book, Jackie slid the paper clipped articles onto Eric's desk.

He looked around to make sure Oscar Dewitt was engrossed in his hidden comic book and only then was Eric confident he could read the papers Jackie had slipped him. The first title was, _How to Be Happy With What You've Got (When You Know That's All You'll Get)_. Meanwhile, Jackie was pouring over her geography book at the chapters on the Hawaiian Islands.

Eric was flummoxed. The article made no more sense than those Stones lyrics, _"….You can't always get what you want….But if you try sometimes you just might find…You just might find - You get what you need, oh yeah…,"_ He was happy with Donna, but the article suggested that he was lowering his standards due to his age. Ten years from now, he would be attracted to a whole different woman – or lifestyle.

Eric pushed the article away and opened his own geography book. He tapped on Jackie's desk to get her attention. She turned sideways and smiled. "Good stuff to know, eh?"

Eric shrugged, "Maybe if I was 27 instead of 17 – this information doesn't have anything to do with me."

Jackie dared to argue, "It does and it is all about the way you pay attention to a woman. We are not some store mannequin that looks like the perfect woman and yet knows what a guy is thinking – besides sex." She glared at Eric, "At least I know that's what YOU think about all the time, but Donna….do you ever think about what she wants? What makes her happy?"

Eric grinned and pointed his thumb at his chest, "Me. I make Donna happy. I give her everything she wants in and out of bed…most of the time."

"Ugh!" Jackie sighed, "You are as bad as Michael. No, Eric the answer is no. You do not know what makes her happy."

Eric rolled his eyes, "And you do?"

Jackie bit back a smile. "Yes. I'm a girl. _And_ , I've read her journal."

Eric sat back stunned. "That's a total invasion of privacy!" _Where was the honor code among women?_ Didn't they have something like guys do? Don't ask – don't tell…especially your friends!

Jackie looked at Eric and blew out a breath with her perfectly formed lips. "Look, if a girl does NOT want someone to read her journal, she would hide it, like under the carpet in the back of the closet or in a box of Kotex in the bathroom."

Eric did not want to think of his girlfriend and a box of women's sanitary napkins in the same sentence. "Okay, so maybe Donna thought that no reasonable person would have the balls…er, nerve to disrespect her privacy and she left it in her room on her desk."

Jackie folded her arms and uttered, "Pssshhhh! A sensible girl doesn't do that. Bob and Midge are notorious snoops. What makes you think that Donna wouldn't write something that they could read oh, and how did you know where she keeps it?"

Eric froze. _He did know_! And there was a couple of times that he _maybe_ glanced through it…..he was as guilty as the cheerleader! "Okay, so the book hiding or not hiding stuff aside, I really didn't get a lot of information from that article AND I abhor your snooping around in my girlfriend's bedroom."

Jackie crossed her arms and sighed loudly. "Eric, do you want Donna to want you or not?"

"Yes." He conceded. Apparently there was a lot to learn about women and since he didn't dare ask his mother or skanky sister, Jackie Burkhart was the bossy teacher that could give him a solid education.

A satisfied smiled settled on those pink lips. "Good. Update me on Pangea and then come by my house one night after 7:00 – while my parents are deep in happy hour." Jackie instructed.

"Wait….won't Kelso be there?"

"Not on a school night and Daddy doesn't really like Michael." Jackie replied.

Eric paused to digest this fact and realized that it did make sense. He opened his book and scooted his desk closed to the tiny instructor. "Okay, so here's the start. Pangea was once a supercontinent that existed about 175 million years ago…."

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It was the fourth day of detention and Mr. Stewart could find Jackie and Eric deeply studying and completing their required homework. The remaining delinquents were still fooling around and wasting the hour – Mr. Stewart didn't mind - overtime was overtime! Tammy's mother, Mrs. Robinson had pulled her daughter out of school as a frightful bout of Braxton-Hicks nearly gave Mr. Robinson a stroke.

Jackie found that not worrying about slipping in a pool of Tammy's yucky baby-water-breaking-juice was a bigger relief than she had realized. Utilizing her detention time carefully, she managed to complete all of her other assignments and write a cheer for Michael as well.

Who's our favorite football hero?

Who makes Point Place cheer?

Michael Kelso is the champion

The Touchdown King is here!

Wiping up her leftover crumbs from dinner, Jackie dusted her palms over the trash can and turned towards the den. It was 6:45 and she could see her mother pulling out the cocktail glasses right on schedule. Pasting a semi-plastic smile, she poked her head around the door jamb. "Daddy?"

Jack Burkhart turned his head, "Yes kitten?"

Jackie prepared her lie, "I just wanted to remind you that the Forman boy is coming over at 7:00 so I can tutor him in his Economics class."

Mr. Burkhart smiled proudly, "Well, of course. Red Forman needs _someone_ in his family to rise above the blue collar workers and you are the perfect little teacher."

At that moment, Pam closed the door of the liquor closet and after locking the glass cabinet with the key, she interjected, "Are you sure that Michael boy isn't trying to sneak over again?"

Horrified that her mother would make such an assumption, Jackie glared and loudly exhaled. "No mother, Michael Kelso is NOT coming over. In fact we'll be in the kitchen if you think you need to check on me."

Jack poured two fingers of gin into his tumbler, "I trust you kitten. Give that boy all the help he needs. Your mother and I will be socializing if you need us."

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"Socializing?" Eric frowned, "It's just the two of them."

"I know!" Jackie exclaimed, "They are socializing with each other. I so do not want to grow up like my parents!" She put her geography book and class notes on the kitchen table. "Okay…so tell me more about this supercontinent and then I'll give you a Donna lesson."

Eric grinned. Tit for tat – he liked the idea of sharing his knowledge of world geography for Donna Pinciotti body geography! "Okay, let's crack some books!"

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"What? New York and North Africa were neighbors?" Jackie didn't believe the map she was looking at. Eric turned the page and pointed to the southern part of the atlas.

"And Antarctica was neighbors with India and Southern Africa as well." Eric added feeling proud that he had the map to explain Pangea better to his self as well. He turned to a page from the reference book he had checked out from the library. "The continental shelf is a part of the ocean and it's also a part of the continent. See here?" Eric pointed to Europe and Asia – this is like one huge single piece of land that eventually was called Eurasia."

Jackie's head was spinning. All the land mass of earth had at one time been a large piece of one continent. When did it break apart and why? She didn't feel like learning any more about that tonight. There was still plenty of time to write her paper. "Okay. Donna lesson. Put your books away." Jackie instructed.

Eric watched as Jackie walked to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out two ceramic bowls. She set one down in front of Eric and smiled. Curious, he turned as she headed towards the refrigerator and brought out a gallon of ice cream which Jackie put on the kitchen table.

Eric thought that dessert was looking good so far! A quick trip to the pantry and she brought out sprinkles, a bottle of chocolate syrup, some marshmallows, a package of crushed pecans and Jackie headed back to the fridge. "You'll love this lesson." She added while getting the can of whipped cream. "Let me get the spoons and we can get started."

Eric had no idea of what Donna and ice cream had to do with each other, but he was going to be an attentive student of the cheerleader.

Jackie sat down and scooped out a dollop of ice cream and dropped one in each bowl. She gave Eric a spoon and pointed to each bowl of delicious slightly melting vanilla ice cream. "This is boy sex."

Eric frowned, "What?"

She smiled, "Ice cream is like sex. Everyone loves vanilla – especially boys but…." Jackie let the sentence hang as she added marshmallows to her scoop and then sprinkled in some nuts, squeezed out a thin circling of fudge syrup, added a huge dollop of whipped cream and then topped it with little colored sprinkles.

Eric's eyes almost doubled in size at Jackie's bowl of ice cream. Jackie grinned and dipped her spoon into her bowl and brought a delicious festively colored concoction to her lips. "Go ahead eat some."

Eric took a spoonful of the plain vanilla and swallowed.

"So….what is the meaning of this?" he asked awkwardly.

Jackie motioned with her spoon. "You Eric are vanilla ice cream. Everyone loves vanilla. You'll eat it and be happy." She pointed to her delectably decadent dessert, "This is girl sex."

Eric held up his palms with puzzlement written all over his face. Jackie giggled. "You really don't know." She took Eric's spoon and scooped up a fat dollop of *girl sex* ice cream and handed it to him. "Go ahead, taste it."

Eric obliged and let the sweet heavenly concoction melt in his mouth…sooo wonderful in every way. _God, girls really did do everything better!_ He dared to lick his lips and the aftertaste was just as wonderful.

"You see Eric, here's the challenge for you. Everybody loves vanilla but girls love the _embellishment_. In fact, sometimes we could just do without the ice cream and eat only the marshmallows and fudge and whipped cream." Jackie's voice suddenly seemed low and seductive as she continued, " So…Eric….would you rather give Donna plain old vanilla or…. _embellishments_ with a side of vanilla?"

His throat felt tight – what kind of bewitchery was this? Eric swallowed and pointed to Jackie's bowl. "Em-bell-ish-ments." He managed to choke out.

Satisfied that her student understood the lesson, Jackie whisked away the ice cream and deposited the bowls in the sink. Eric didn't understand why she would waste such a tasty treat! But then again, who really understood Jackie Burkhart.

Lovely lusty Pam Burkhart popped her head in the kitchen, "Everything going well?" she inquired. Jackie turned around and replied, "Yes mom. I'm teaching Eric some much needed lessons."

"Okay dear. Your father and I are going upstairs to watch television. Make sure you lock up when your little friend goes home."

"Yes mother." Jackie replied tersely. She waited until she could hear her mom and inebriated father stagger up the stairs. "Sorry about that." Jackie walked around the kitchen counter and back to the table.

"So, last lesson. I'm going to give you an example of an embellishment. This will be your homework. You'll go home, deliver the message and nothing else. I guarantee that Donna will be after you like salt on a margarita."

Eric grinned. "I'd like that _teacher_. So, what is the embellishment?"

Jackie walked over to where Eric was sitting and turned him in his chair. "First, no more sweater vests okay?" She reached down and in a quick motion pulled the yarn outfit over his head. Eric was impressed. "You did that so fast!"

"Donna will be faster if she doesn't have to go through all that yarn. Now, put your lips next to her ear."

"Oh, you want me to blow in her ear?" Eric suggested proudly.

"What? Ew! No! You can ruin someone's eardrum and it's gross. I said NEXT to her ear. Pay attention."

Eric froze. He personally loved getting his ear blown into…well, until that time he got an ear infection and that was uncomfortable but still! Eric wasn't paying attention until he felt Jackie's brunette hair brush his cheek and then below his chin he sensed words being whispered just beneath his ear. He felt the words, " _It doesn't matter what you say…it's the puffs of air that she feels_."

Suddenly, Eric could feel himself getting a chubber. The hairs on his neck and back were standing up at the lightly administered embellishment. He hastily grabbed his sweater vest and pulled it over his lap. He couldn't believe that Jackie Burkhart was slightly turning him on and she didn't even touch him!

Jackie couldn't imagine she got that close to Eric Forman's neck! At least he smelled clean and wore deodorant! She was pleasantly surprised that her secret _words of whisper_ lesson had such an effect on the teenager. Pushing away from his chest, Jackie gave the order, "Go to Donna and do that – nothing more and see what happens."

Eric wanted to run home but his current physical situation was awkward. "Uh….er..Jackie. Could you get me my coat please?"

She smiled slyly and gave Eric time to compose himself. When she came back to the kitchen with his jacket, Eric Forman was gone and the door was wide open.

Jackie laughed loudly and smiled contentedly. Now to practice that on Michael again!

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•


	4. Chapter 04 – Words of Action

**A/N:** _Merry Christmas to everyone!_

 **Chapter 04** – Words of Action

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Jackie was holding tightly to her lunch tray as she looked around the cafeteria for a place to sit. The cheerleader table gave her the stink eye so the pretty brunette walked past the wool-sweatered group with her chin held high. There was a picnic table by the window which afforded a small measure of privacy and Jackie took it.

One bite of the greasy burger had Jackie reaching for her can of Tab. Immediately, her tiny refuge was intruded upon by the red headed lumberjack. Donna huffed and sat on the end of the bench. "You will never guess what Eric did to me." She grumbled.

Jackie wiped her hands on her napkin and gave Donna her full attention. "What did your boyfriend do to you this time?"

Donna turned sideways on the bench, "Okay…I'll tell you but you have to promise to keep this to yourself."

Jackie smiled at the thought of a new secret – in fact, this brightened her whole mood. _Maybe_ Eric put the embellishment lesson to good use! "I'm all ears."

Donna exhaled. "Okay, so I'm watching some reruns with my parents and there's this banging on the back door. I told my dad I'd get it because well, he had mom's hand in his popcorn bowl and yuck, I didn't need to worry about that."

"Ew. But continue." Jackie encouraged.

Donna pinched the bridge of her nose. "It was Eric with an ice cream cone."

Jackie was confused. _That wasn't what she taught him yesterday!_ How did Eric Forman mess up such an easy lesson? "I'm sorry, an ice cream cone?"

Donna rolled her eyes, "He knows I like _slushies_ but that's not the worst part."

"Oh dear," Jackie mumbled. "What happened?"

Donna pulled her hair over her shoulder. "He bit me on the neck! Who does that? Some freaking vampire?!"

There was a slight reddened scratch on Donna's porcelain skin. "It doesn't look too bad. What made him do that?" Jackie inquired.

Donna looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to their conversation and she confessed. "He hands me this ice cream cone….in vanilla, and says he needs to tell me something."

"And?" Jackie asked with much anticipation, hoping Eric got this part right!

"He grabbed my face, and I thought he was going to blow in my ear but instead, he slobbered something on my neck and when I pulled away, he bit me."

"Oh no! What did you do?" Jackie asked alarmed.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

"Hey Forman, " Hyde chuckled, "That's a nice shiner you got there. Did you get in a fight a freshman again?"

"Ha ha. Yuck it up man." Eric moaned. "It's not what you think and it was an _accident_. I hope."

Fez, took a bite of his shiny red apple and smiled. "I was in Eric's bedroom last night and I saw what happened."

Eric's head swiveled around. "What the hell were you doing in my girlfriend's bedroom?"

Fez shrugged his shoulders and splayed his hands, "I was lonely."

Eric sighed and turned back to Steven Hyde. "Forget what he said, nothing happened in the bedroom."

"Nothing ever happens in that bedroom." Fez complained.

"Shut it Fez!" Eric snarled. "I was at the back door….working on an…." Eric paused, he didn't want to say how Jackie's little embellishment lesson affected him and he was hoping Donna might have the same reaction, but due to how THAT turned out, he changed his story a tiny little bit. "….I read an article about how you don't actually blow in a girl's ear but rather you _whisper_ sweet nothings below….on her neck."

Fez's eyes widened, "Sweet nothings? Is that made out of chocolate?"

Hyde groaned, "Dude, not everything is candy." He looked at Eric, "Of course you don't blow in a chick's ear – that can cause damage. You just mangle the lobe – they dig that."

"Well, Donna didn't and somehow I didn't duck when she moved her head and I accidentally bit her – just a little."

"She clocked you." Hyde laughed.

"Totally my fault." Eric admitted.

Fez stood up and stretched while commenting, "I don't have a girlfriend and even I know that!"

Hyde reached over to grab the open bag of chips, "Eric, you better hope Donna forgives you or you aint _getting any_ again."

Eric felt like telling his friends he wasn't _getting_ _any_ period.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

The Cosmopolitan magazine rapped Eric on the side of the head. "Ow! What's that for?" he moaned rubbing his scalp.

Jackie sat down in her Detention chair and glowered, "You did not pay attention to the lesson! Now Donna thinks you're a vampire and not the good kind like Barnabas Collins on Dark Shadows. Eric, how could you screw up something so simple?"

Eric sighed. "I think it was my timing."

Jackie opened her notebook. "I think today I'm just going to study."

Eric put his hand over her book. "No. You have to help me. I messed up and although I hate to admit it– but like they say in Star Wars… _Jackie Burkhart, you're my only hope_."

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Eric was tasked with spending the whole Detention hour reading a Cosmopolitan magazine. While he would never mention it to his basement buddies, the Cosmo publication was more revealing than last year's issue of Playboy. Granted there were no naked women, but the scantily clad models left a great deal to the imagination of a teenage male. Reading about what women wanted from men was a new education that Eric had never encountered. Girls really did like sex! And often! Why the hell wasn't Donna reading this?

As he closed the magazine, Eric made a mental note to replace the pine tree scented air freshener from his rear view mirror with something that smelled less piney-y. Donna would surely appreciate the gesture.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

"C'mon. I'm teaching you about geography….you know….places like Mexico where your mom gets free booze?" Eric asked in a low voice.

"I don't care about that – I want to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader." Jackie groused. "I don't like Texas, but I love the uniforms." She tossed her geography book on the kitchen table.

"Jackie. Seriously, do you even know where Texas is from Wisconsin?" Eric inquired.

She furrowed her brow, "Why should I? I mean all I have to do is call a travel agent and tell them I want a ticket to Dallas….I'm there!" She tried to keep her tone soft so her parents wouldn't overhear. _How far was Dallas from Pangea_?

Eric shook his head slowly. "Look. It's a big world out there and when you graduate – IF you graduate, you probably won't be living in Wisconsin. Can you think of a country you'd like to go to?"

Jackie put her chin on her fist and pondered Eric's question. "Paris. I know it's in France and I love French bread and French fries. Why, what country would you go to?"

Eric looked around the Burkhart kitchen with all the perfect appliances and fancy china dishes – things his mother would really appreciate. His eyes glanced at the slowly ticking clock and bit his lip. _Where would he go?_ He looked back at the cheerleader and replied, "Well who knows, _maybe_ I'll go to….Africa."

Jackie looked at Eric and he looked at the laughter in her eyes and they both sniggered as Jackie whispered, "As if!"

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•.

Just keeping it fun and light hearted this season.


	5. Chapter 05 – Mass Move

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•. ¸¸

 **A/N** _ **:**_ _I had to end the self-pity party – life goes on and doesn't stop because someone dies or a great job is lost – one has to open one's self to new opportunities and people…. to move forward._

 _I'm moving forward._

 **Chapter 05** – Mass Move

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

 _He looked back at the cheerleader and replied, "Well who knows, maybe I'll go to….Africa."_

 _Jackie looked at Eric and he looked at the laughter in her eyes and they both sniggered as Jackie whispered, "As if!"_

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

After the weekend was over and before he ventured to the Burkhart kitchen, Eric had an idea that he believed would appeal to Jackie's intellect and help her ace her Pangea essay. Prior to arriving, Eric had gone downtown to the main library and checked out an encyclopedia of old world maps and some periodicals that referenced major geological timelines.

Jackie's eyes nearly bulged when she saw Maria opening the kitchen door to a heavily book laden Eric Forman. "God Eric, did you take out every book ever written?" Jackie asked sardonically. "I mean that looks like 60 pounds of paper….almost as much as you weigh!"

"Hardy-har-har." Eric replied with a grin as he deposited the books on the table. "Tonight we are finishing your essay. Thanksgiving vacation is coming up in three days and I don't want to be tutoring you when I could be applying all my _lessons_ on my favorite red head."

"Fair enough." Jackie replied. "So how are we going to do this?"

Eric pulled out the series of world maps. "I admit, even I learned something by doing this….so listen …learn and don't ask questions until I've explained. Okay?"

She smiled. It was good to see Eric Forman being proactive for a change. 'Teach me."

*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*

Jackie settled in with a can of Tab and set a root beer in front of Eric as he opened his books. "Tammy Robinson had her baby Saturday night."

Eric lifted a brow. "Are you trying to distract me?" He didn't really care about the previously pregnant detention-mate.

"Nope. Just thought I'd break the ice…you know…. while you were laying out this library on my kitchen table."

"Okay, Saturday birthing event – duly noted. Are we supposed to bring a gift?" Eric replied spryly.

Jackie laughed. "No, but it's nice that you thought about it."

Eric gave his friend a mock salute and gestured to the Burkhart table top. "The books." He announced in his best teacher voice. "Shall we continue?"

Jackie nodded with a smile.

The first world map was just a singular continental mass, according to geologists of the Britannica Encyclopedia Societies. The top of the mass was Eurasia and Eric's finger pointed at the map counter clockwise with the United States at the 9:00 o'clock position, South America was at 8:00, and Antarctica was at 5:00.

Jackie followed the index finger as Eric explained that Australia was way down at the bottom of the massive continent at 4:00 o'clock with India and Africa in the center. He explained, "In the beginning, a continental shelf was part of the ocean but also a part of the land. The term Eurasia later becomes Europe and Asia." Eric glanced at the brunette to make sure she was paying attention.

She was.

He took a deep breath and pulled out another map. "About 330 million years ago….I think it was the Mesozoic Era…the earth started breaking up the land mass…probably like a big ass earthquake or something. We weren't there so we don't know exactly."

"What about the cave men?" Jackie inquired.

Eric frowned. He hadn't considered that. Flipping through a couple of pages of the book, he had an Aha moment. "Okay, no cave people yet. The paleontologists….er, dinosaur experts…they called the Mesozoic Era as the _Age of Reptiles_."

"Oh! There had to be dinosaurs _invented_ so the cave man could learn to hunt." Jackie realized.

Eric wasn't positive but it sounded reasonable. "Yeah…sure. That makes sense. So…after Pangea started breaking up, you see that Australia moved way down here to the south of Europe and all the Island nations and to east of Africa. Also, see how South America has this curve…like a puzzle piece that fits into the west coast of Africa?"

"Wow, what a trip that must have been!" she marveled quietly. "And look…Antarctica squeezed under to the South Pole." Jackie added with a smiled, "Mr. Amato can kiss my butt after this essay is done!"

Eric was heartened because as his lesson went on, Jackie was finally getting it! Mrs. Hauck could kiss his ass well! The days of studying were cementing in Jackie's brain and she was learning. Heck, Eric Forman could maybe consider a future as a teacher! The remaining hour passed by quickly and Jackie was scribbling notes furiously.

Eric was proud. Eric felt like his confidence needed this burst of smugness – he was a good student and he was an excellent tutor! Now all that was left was for Jackie to write the essay and give him his last Donna lesson.

Game on!

*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*

Eric's stomach began to growl and he glanced up at the wall clock. "I have to go – if I'm late to dinner, Mom gets pissed."

Jackie looked up from her paper to see that it was almost 7:00 p.m. "Wow! Time just flew by!"

Both detention students were interrupted by the face of the beautiful Pamela Burkhart, "Jackie darling…" Mrs. Burkhart leaned into the kitchen and she smiled at Eric. "Honey, I want to remind you that the day after tomorrow, Daddy and I will be leaving for Aspen."

Jackie frowned. "You're telling me now? I haven't even packed and I still have school studies!"

"Oh sweetie…you're not going. Maria will be popping in to check on you of course. This is just a trip for your parents. It's a _Couples Mixer_ on the slopes."

It was Eric's turn to frown. Jackie was going to be left alone on Thanksgiving break? _That wasn't cool_. Having a party in Jackie's house….that could be cool, but seriously…you don't NOT take your kid when you go out of town.

"Er…Mrs. Burkhart?" Eric dared to speak as he saw Jackie flashing daggers at her mother.

Pamela turned on the charm. "Yes dear?"

"Um…since you guys are not going to be home…is it okay if Jackie spends Thanksgiving dinner with my family?"

Pamela looked at her freshly polished manicure. "Oh! Is that what this weekend is all about? Certainly…you have the cutest little house."

Jackie was fuming inside. LEFT ALONE ON A SCHOOL HOLIDAY? REALLY? She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice under control. "So…you and daddy will be gone until Sunday?"

Mrs. Burkhart nodded. "That sounds about right. You look like you two were in the middle of homework….I'll let you continue." She waggled her fingers at Eric. "Toodles and say hello to your father for me"

After Pam disappeared back into the hallway, Eric sagged against his chair. "They just leave you like that?"

Jackie wiped her eye. _She wasn't going to let Eric Forman see her cry_. "I mean it's not like it's the first time or anything." She couldn't help it, the tears fell freely and she choked back a sob. "I have the worst parents in the world Eric."

Eric felt something in his chest like sympathy for Jackie. From the outside looking in little Miss Burkhart had the perfect life. But seeing the Burkhart's disregard for their only child made Eric depressed. Even with Red riding his ass and his mom's loving craziness, Eric Forman had the perfect life!

"Man…I'm sorry Jackie….your folks." Eric was sort of at a loss for words.

She scrubbed her damp cheeks and pasted on a smile. "Promise you won't tell anyone you saw me cry."

Eric leaned over and lightly frogged her shoulder, "I've seen you cry a hundred times…. _Oh Michael! You never bring me flowers….oh Michael….don't glue your hand to that door_ _again_ _….oh Michael…."_

Jackie chortled. She chuckled and then she downright laughed at Eric's attempts to lighten the mood. "I do not cry for like that."

"Psshh! Girls! You all cry." Eric grinned. "Now, are you going to accept the dinner invitation at my house for Thanksgiving or are you going to have tacos with Maria?"

Jackie go up and walked around the corner of the table, moved a book with her hip. She stood in front of Eric and looked at his face. Her dark eyes smiled at his green ones as she cupped his cheek with her palm. "Eric….that was the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time."

He was suddenly enveloped in a hug and heard a whispered, "Thank you." And Eric smiled. He did a good thing.

Eric Forman did a good thing. No. Eric Albert Forman did a great thing.

He saved the day!

Sweet.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•


	6. Chapter 06– Drama Over

**A/N:** _Sorry for the wait, but she's a longer chapter!_

 **Chapter 06** – Drama Over

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Jackie smiled and held her books close to her chest. This was the last day of detention and that meant no more listening to Mr. Stewart slide his dentures in and out of his mouth while he read his paperback book. The night before, she gave Eric his last Donna lesson and Jackie smiled again.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

" _Okay….I recognized that Donna is a generic woman." Jackie admitted as she huddled by the side of the Vista Cruiser._

 _Eric stuffed his chilled hands into the pockets of his jacket and nodded in agreement. "She didn't go crazy for your other methods." He pulled out his right hand and held up his index finger, "But! I will admit that I did like the Embellishment lesson – I'll never look at ice cream in the same way."_

 _Jackie laughed softly. "I approached your lessons the wrong way. I realized that Donna is like….a transistor radio - a volume button, a dial to change stations and an antenna. Whereas, girls like Jackie Burkhart are stereos. We have AM and FM stations, our speakers have woofers and sub-woofers, we have a smoother sound, shiny dials and we are high maintenance, but totally worth it if you are into making beautiful music." She grinned. "I will admit that I love *my* stereo, but we are talking about Donna."_

 _Eric shuffled his feet on the icy concrete driveway. "Yeah…Donna and I had a similar talk…I mean she_ _could_ _be a stereo, but music is music…ya know?"_

 _Jackie nodded. "I know. So, you need to approach her and find her *favorite* station and I'm going to show you how."_

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Eric looked up at the smiling student. "What put you in a good mood?"

Jackie thrust her Pangea paper onto Eric's desktop. He saw a circled A+ and the scribbled word " _Excellent_ ". Jackie squealed softly, "Mr. Amato said that my paper should be an example to all the rest of my geography class!"

Eric grinned. "Good for you! I know you worked hard on that paper – glad we got this Detention out of the way."

Jackie slid into her desk. "Me too. Now I can finally tell Michael that we can date again."

Eric scanned her Pangea essay and was impressed at what Jackie had retained from his lessons – perhaps he was destined to be a teacher after all! "So…..I was playing with Donna's _radios_ last night….er….making out, I mean…and she loved it!"

There was a slight smirk on Jackie's face but she only replied, "You are welcome."

Eric frogged her in the shoulder, "So are you still coming over tomorrow for turkey?"

She nodded. "Sure. My parents left this morning before I woke up – Maria showed me the note they left."

"They left a note?" Eric asked incredulously.

Jackie opened her book and pulled out a light pink piece of stationery. " _Dear Daughter. Daddy and I have left for the slopes. If you are a good girl, we'll bring you back a mink scarf. Love Mummy."_

Eric shrugged, "Well….at least you got a note."

She sighed, "Eric, I have a cigar box full of notes and excuses. The thing I have to worry about now is that once Michael knows my parents are gone, he's gonna want to spend the night EVERY night."

"And you don't want that?" Eric asked with a lifted brow.

Jackie shook her head. "No, once in a while it's okay, but after _it's_ over, there's not a lot to talk about. Like…he would never understand anything about Pangea. I guess I'm outgrowing my boyfriend."

"Sounds like you're growing up." Eric smiled.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

The Forman kitchen smelled like roasting turkey and apple pie. Warm scents of simmering cranberries wafted from the stove top as Laurie flipped her blonde curls from her face and pouted. "I don't know why we have to set a place for _her_ ….I mean Kelso isn't coming!" She plopped down onto the green kitchen chair.

Kitty set a salad bowl in front of her daughter. "Start tearing the lettuce dear, it won't make a salad by itself and Eric was allowed to invite a friend and he picked Jackie. Lord knows why, but that's who he picked." Kitty patted her curls and tightened her apron strings

Red looked up over the top of the Thursday morning's _Point Place Herald_ and uttered, "And Kettlehead was not invited because of what he did the last time he was here to eat."

Laurie's pretty face frowned, "So we had a little mash potato fight. You didn't say anything when Hyde smushed Kelso's face in the plate…besides, I think I like him."

Kitty threw a glare in her daughter's direction, "Don't you dare! He has a girlfriend…or two….Laurie, you _really_ need to get out and expand your horizons."

She held up a lettuce leaf and envisioned Michael Kelso's smiling face in the green vegetable then Laurie shredded the iceberg into thin strips, "But I'm going to college…kind of."

Red scowled, "Is that what I'm spending my money on? A _kind of_ college? What kind? Why don't you get a part time job or something useful?" Red Forman set his newspaper on the table and looked at his oldest child. "Laurie, you are a pretty girl…surely there is a job or something that you have a talent for."

Eric pushed through the kitchen door and heard his father's well-meaning advice and couldn't help but reply, "Yeah Laurie – I heard there's an opening at Cliff's Bar and they installed a new pole!"

Kitty snickered and Laurie narrowed her eyes at her insolent brother, "Spaz."

"Whore." He replied in kind.

"At least I didn't get detention." Laurie gloated.

Eric smirked, "That we _know_ about!" He turned to his father, "I finished cleaning the gutters…was there anything else you needed me to do?" Eric was still paying for his detention – Red Forman wasn't happy with the last two weeks but at least his mom's disappointment was short lived. His sister however…..

Laurie glared at her brother, "Daddy, why does Eric get to invite a friend and I don't?"

Kitty laughed, "Ahahaha…honey, you have no friends….whoops! I'm sorry, that slipped out! Had you let me know you wanted to invite someone…."

Red lifted a brow, "Someone you have not and would never date. I would have approved of that."

Laurie threw the shredded lettuce into the bowl. "You are mean! It's not like I would bring over some hippie like Leo or worse! I'm going to my room."

Eric chuckled, "I'll make sure we save you some pie."

Laurie glared. "I'll make sure Donna knows you invited Jackie."

Eric blanched slightly – Donna might have liked to have known this first – ah hell, Jackie was an assignment and she taught him some _things_ that school would never prepare him for – tit for tat! "That's okay Laurie….I won't tell your next boyfriend about your _special_ visit to the pharmacy."

Red grunted and Kitty butted into the conversation, "Well! Okay! That's something that is NOT holiday talk! Let's change the subject to what we are going to do after dinner."

"The Cowboys are playing the Cardinals so I'll be watching football in the living room." Red announced, "I don't care what the rest of you are doing so if you aren't bringing me a beer or dessert then leave me the hell alone for the rest of the day."

Kitty pressed a kiss on her husband's brow, "I know it's a big football day – that's why I'm going to have Eric drive me to the hospital. I'm taking leftovers to my co-workers."

"But mom! What if I had plans? I mean with Donna?" Eric spluttered.

Red leveled a glare at his son, "Do you? Have plans?"

"Well…no…not yet." Eric confessed.

Kitty laughed, "Ahahaha….good! Your little friend, Tammy Robinson from school, is bringing her baby in – so adorable. You can see so yourself."

Eric groaned inwardly. He did not want to see ex-prego detention-mate. Mr. Stewart had been pretty clear that the teen was not headed for a successful career with having babies in high school. At least as far as Eric was concerned. He sighed and hung his head. If he didn't go, then he'd have to deal with Red but if he went with his mom…. _he could take Jackie_! She owed him one for that A+ on her paper! The after dinner plans didn't seem so grim anymore.

"Sure Mom, but I'll have to bring Jackie – she might be interested in…nursing." Eric offered.

Kitty smiled, "Now see there Red? That is logical thinking. Now… if we could only get Laurie motivated. Eric, make sure you bring back some brochures for your sister." Kitty lifted a delicate brow, "And not the kind on sexually transmitted diseases…"

"Ah jeez Kitty! Why do you have to ruin my Thanksgiving morning with all this sex talk?" Red groaned.

Kitty popped a kiss on the top of his balding head. "He's growing up honey; we have to talk to him sometime. Would you rather do it?" Eric's mother winked at her son.

Red pushed out of his chair. "No and I'll be in the living room when you start talking about food and not s.e.x."

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Jackie would swear that this was the best Thanksgiving dinner she ever had. She would also swear she couldn't remember her mother cooking a holiday meal on the actual holiday! "Mrs. Forman, this was delicious. Thank you for inviting me over."

Kitty smiled, "Well thank you for opening your father's liquor cabinet. This is some of the best Kahlua and the most expensive Vodka I've had in a while."

Red smirked, "The beer is cold. Just the way I like it."

Laurie still was peeved. "Why didn't I get something too?"

Jackie looked at Eric and grinned before replying to _boyfriend-stealer_ Laurie, "Oh Laurie, but you did! One of the cheer squad saw you crying outside the free clinic last week."

Eric snickered and coughed back a chuckle until his eyes watered. Laurie glared and threw her napkin on the table. "I'm so done. Mother!"

Kitty was wiping her teary eyes at Jackie Burkhart's casual joke, "Yes honey?"

"Eric's guest is rude and I didn't get _anything_ from the free clinic last week. They only refilled my prescr….." Laurie choked when she saw her father's glare from across the table. "I mean refilled my head with _proper_ _information_ about being a safe single woman."

Still embarrassed, Laurie beat a hasty retreat from the dining room. Eric busted out with guffaws and Jackie giggled. "I'm sorry Mrs. Forman, but your daughter hates me and I couldn't help myself."

Red blew out an exasperated breath. "I understand, but couldn't you have waited until after we were all done eating?"

Properly chastised, Jackie lowered her head and nodded. She looked sideways and Eric was giving her a *thumbs up* from under the table. She pretended to frog his shoulder. "Mrs. Forman, can I help you with the dishes?"

Kitty was taken aback by the request from the Burkhart girl. No one ever volunteered to help! "Well….sure Jackie, but remember, we don't want to be late to the hospital."

Jackie frowned, "Why are we going to the hospital?"

Eric cleared his throat. "Uh…I forgot to mention that we are helping mom by taking leftovers to the staff that had to work and to see Tammy Robinson's baby." He expected a shin kick under the table but Jackie merely shrugged and replied with an "ok".

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

The nursing staff was enthralled to see Thanksgiving leftovers placed in the break-room. Many of the nurses had been pulling a 24 hour shift and were starved for food or seeing someone who was not sick.

Kitty basked in the glow of compliment's about her cooking while Eric stood against the wall listening to the quiet conversation and watching Jackie flirting with a young intern. Flirting was something that girl did well!

Eric reflected back on the last two weeks and realized that although in the beginning he thought detention was going to be hell; it actually was fun! Sure, he was penalized for something his friends did, but in the end, Eric Forman came out for the better.

It only seemed like minutes but in reality an hour had passed while Eric was musing to find his mother tugging his sleeve, "Eric honey, we have to go home. I still have a couple of pies to put in the oven."

Eric shook his head as if to clear it and looked up to find Jackie handing Tammy Robinson back her baby. He felt like he was in an alternate universe. "Yeah, sure mom we can leave. Get Jackie and I'll go warm up the car."

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Jackie gave Red a goodbye hug and thanked him again for inviting her into his house for dinner. Red was confused why he was getting the big thanks when the damn girl was in the basement almost every day – well, except for the last two weeks. "Sure, it was nice having decent company over for dinner." Red patted Jackie's hand. "Tell your dad I said hello."

Kitty hugged the smaller girl and thanked her for bringing the booze and let her know she was welcome back any time. Eric touched Jackie's arm and offered, "Let me walk you to your car – I mean before it starts snowing again."

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Eric waited until Jackie was in her car and the engine idling. He could feel the heater wafting warm air out of its vents. He leaned down and rested his forearms on the window frame. "So…I guess I have to thank you for the excellent burn on my sister."

Jackie smiled, "It was my pleasure. I know she has a _thing_ for Michael and I just wanted to give her a little smack."

Eric grinned and shivered, "Man, its cold out here."

Jackie reached over to the door frame and put her soft palm on Eric's hand. "You know that when we go back to school on Monday, I'm going to have to pretend to hate you again."

Eric's brow lifted slightly, " _Hate_ me? How about _despise_ me a little instead? It sounds a bit sleazier that way. "

She laughed and Eric knew he was going to miss that light laughter. "Okay, I'll despise you at school and ignore you when I'm around Michael."

Eric held out his hand to seal the deal. Jackie shook his hand as he confirmed it, "Deal."

Jackie sighed, "Eric…I'll never forget your help on my paper. I meant it when I said thank you to you and your parents."

"I know and when you're eating tacos with Maria, you'll be thinking of moi." Eric joked.

Jackie felt like she was going to cry. Curious. "Well…okay, I have to go. Have a nice weekend and I'll pass you in the halls at school."

"Promise?" Eric teased.

She smiled. "Promise."

Eric watched as Jackie Burkhart drove off and knew in his gut that something special had happened over the last two weeks and no one in his gang would ever understand it. Well, that was their loss! Eric stood in the street until he could no longer see the tail lights of Jackie's car. Blowing on his cold hands, he pivoted and headed back into the house for one of his mom's delicious apple pies.

Life was good.

•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•

During the lunch hour, Donna grabbed a passing Jackie by the elbow and whirled the small girl along with her lunch tray over to a corner picnic table. "OH MY GOD! I have to talk to you!" Donna exclaimed.

Jackie sat down and put her tray out of the reach of Donna's flailing arms. "What is so Ohmygod?" Jackie asked.

Donna was fanning her face. "I don't know where to start – no wait – remember when I was telling you how Eric was trying all these weird sex things with me?"

"Ew, and yes." Jackie replied.

Donna smiled, "Eric got good! I don't mean improved or different but _good_ like I wanna be with him all the time _good_!"

"Good." Jackie smiled. She knew exactly what Donna was talking about because Jackie was the _Sensei_ in the Burkhart dojo and Eric was the _student_ that night. It was all about the music . Donna went into detailed description of how her boyfriend seduced her, undressed her and danced her to bed while whispering things that she could barely remember. "But it was the way he said it…not exactly what he said that was so amazing….you know?"

Jackie nodded her head. She knew – she knew, bec _ause those were the things she wished Michael would do with her!_ "I know – sounds like you had a great holiday!"

Donna sighed, "Why did he have to get so romantic now? I mean I've been waiting forever and we've been wasting time….oh! How was your holiday?"

Jackie shrugged. "My folks went on a ski trip and left me home."

Donna frowned. "That sucks."

"It was actually okay. I got some extra credit work done…I think I'm going to pass my semester with all A's."

It was at that moment that Eric, Fez and Hyde sauntered past the lunch table. Donna actually giggled and Eric grinned, "Hello milady….and Jackie."

Jackie held back a smile and replied, "Fez….Steven…oh, hello Eric. I didn't see your twiggy little body there." It was a lame burn and she knew it. Eric's lifted brow let her know he knew it as well, but Fez and Hyde were sniggering so he played along.

"So Donna…" Eric conveyed in a low lazy voice, "What are you doing tonight?"

Donna's cheeks turned as red as her hair. "Waiting for you to come over."

Hyde and Fez chuckled, slapping hands and walked away with Fez commenting, "I owe you Hyde – you won the bet…Donna IS easy!"

•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•

Jackie waited until most of the students left after the last bell before she went to her locker. Her nimble fingers twirled the combination to the lock and she opened the metal door sliding her textbooks inside. From the corner of her eye, she saw some of the cheer squad laughing as they headed towards the gym and behind them was a lone figure with his hands in his pockets.

"Hello," was his greeting.

Green eyes smiled and she greeted back with a coy smile. It wasn't a smirk – there was no one around that needed to be checked. It wasn't a fake smile but rather the kind that crinkled her eyes. She liked being Eric's friend.

He casually brushed by the Point Place cheerleader, their shoulders barely touching but as he walked backwards, he was a bit shaken by the innocent gesture. It was a moment. It was innocent but there was something there. Eric didn't know exactly what, but he liked Jackie. He loved Donna, but he definitely liked Jackie Burkhart.

Still walking backwards, Eric said, "Bye" but he was still smiling with those green eyes.

"Bye," Jackie echoed back.

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•

Pangea turned out to be more than just a continent. Two weeks with Pangea was actually an awareness of something bigger that would later separate on its own to become something unique.

Two weeks.

Two prior antagonists.

Two teens.

Two _friends_ with a shared secret.

Thanks to Pangea

•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*• •*¨*•. ¸¸

The End.


End file.
